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| Associação Cultural Bahia Afro | |
|---|---|
| Name | Associação Cultural Bahia Afro |
| Formation | 1990s |
| Type | Cultural non-profit |
| Headquarters | Salvador, Bahia |
| Region served | Brazil |
| Languages | Portuguese |
| Leader title | Director |
Associação Cultural Bahia Afro is a Salvador-based cultural association dedicated to the preservation and promotion of Afro-Brazilian heritage, music, dance, and visual arts. Founded in the late 20th century, the organization operates within networks of cultural institutions and social movements across Brazil and internationally. It collaborates with museums, universities, festivals, and religious communities to sustain traditions linked to West African and Afro-Brazilian histories.
The association emerged amid cultural policy shifts following Brazil's 1988 Constitution and the municipal cultural initiatives in Salvador, linking to networks around Pelourinho and Cidade Baixa. Early partnerships involved community groups from Ilha de Itaparica, artists from Rio de Janeiro, and scholars at the Federal University of Bahia. Influences included figures associated with the Black Movement in Brazil, interactions with institutions such as the Instituto do Patrimônio Histórico e Artístico Nacional and exchanges with Caribbean organizations from Havana and Kingston. Over time, the association participated in festivals like the Festival de Música da Bahia and collaborated with cultural centers including the Casa da Gamboa and Sergio Buarque de Holanda Institute.
The mission emphasizes safeguarding intangible heritage linked to traditions such as Candomblé and Afro-Brazilian percussion practices from regions including Recôncavo Baiano. Activities have included archival projects with the Museu Afro Brasil and performance residencies tied to the Teatro Castro Alves. The association coordinates with municipal bodies such as the Secretaria de Cultura do Estado da Bahia and nonprofit funders including the Brazilian Ministry of Culture and international partners like the Ford Foundation. Programs often intersect with legal frameworks such as the Statute of Racial Equality and cultural policies shaped by the UNESCO lists on intangible heritage.
Programming spans music, dance, visual arts, and oral history. Music initiatives draw on genres and lineages connected to samba-reggae, axé music, and drumming traditions from groups like Ilê Aiyê and Olodum. Dance workshops reference choreographers from Grupo Corpo and folkloric practices from Recôncavo. Visual arts projects have staged exhibitions influenced by artists associated with the Museu de Arte Moderna da Bahia and exchanges with curators from the Pinacoteca do Estado de São Paulo. The association has produced events in collaboration with festivals such as Carnaval de Salvador, Festival de Teatro de Curitiba, and international showcases like the Bienal de São Paulo.
Educational outreach includes partnerships with schools in neighborhoods linked to Matatu and communities around Rio Vermelho. The association has collaborated with researchers at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro and the University of São Paulo on curriculum development and oral history archives. Workshops often involve masters connected to lineages from Axé houses and religious terreiros tied to leaders like priests from Ilê Axé Opô Afonjá and practitioners who have participated in conferences at Harvard University and University of Oxford. Community health and social projects have intersected with NGOs such as Pastoral da Criança and advocacy groups in alliance with the Movimento Negro Unificado.
Governance typically comprises a board, an artistic director, and advisory councils including academics from institutions such as the Museu Nacional and the Universidade Federal do Recôncavo da Bahia. Leadership cycles have featured collaborations with curators from the Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil and administrators who liaise with funders like the Itaú Cultural foundation. Operational partnerships extend to municipal cultural centers such as Solar do Unhão and international cultural attachés from embassies including the British Council and Instituto Cervantes.
The association has mounted exhibitions and performances alongside groups and events including Olodum, Ilê Aiyê, Carlinhos Brown, Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, Marinete dos Santos, Gerônimo, and ensembles from Cape Verde and Guinea-Bissau. It participated in commemorations tied to anniversaries of the Abolition of Slavery in Brazil and cultural commemorations with the Instituto Moreira Salles. International collaborations have included residencies with artists from Lisbon, exchanges with institutions such as the Smithsonian Institution, and participation in conferences hosted by the International Federation of Arts Councils and Culture Agencies.
The association's archives and performances contributed to municipal recognitions and programming supported by entities like the Prefeitura de Salvador and state cultural prizes linked to the Prêmio Braskem de Teatro. Scholarly citations appear in publications from the Latin American Studies Association and theses defended at the University of California, Berkeley and Universidade de Coimbra. Its work influenced public policy discussions at forums including panels at the United Nations and advisory meetings with the Secretaria Especial da Cultura.
Category:Cultural organisations based in Brazil Category:Afro-Brazilian culture